Lititz, PA America’s Coolest Small Town
Happy Wednesday everyone! I’m sorry that I missed Monday’s post but Mr. TAL and I took a mini fall vacation to Lititz, PA. Voted America’s coolest small town in 2013 and I can see why! It is absolutely beautiful in every way. The quaint town, friendly people, delicious eats, scenic views, covered bridges, and a dog friendly environment made for a perfect fall getaway. Want to learn more about the town of Lititz, check out their website https://lititzpa.com. I tried my best to detail our experience here for you from the lovely Wilbur Hotel to the delicious food, shopping experience, beautiful tree lined streets, and tour of a 1700s home. We arrived on Friday around 4:00 and was in awe at the character of old town feel. Lititz is definitely a place to put on your bucket list especially this time of the year. The weather and falling leaves were beautiful with a little bit of rain on Saturday. If you have any questions about staying in the area, don’t hesitate to email me or comment below.
HOTEL
The Wilbur Lititz, Tapestry Collection by Hilton
(Renovated Chocolate Factory opened in October 2019)
50 N. Broad Street
Lititz, PA 17543
717-625-1300
50 N. Broad Street
Lititz, PA 17543
717-625-1300
This hotel was fabulous with so much character with the exposed beams and brick. Our room was clean, spacious, centrally located right in downtown Lititz and within walking distance to shops and restaurants. We had a view of the park, visitors center, and ponds for the ducks. You know I had to take pictures! We did not bring Jake And Maggie on this trip but I wondered what they would have done seeing all the ducks which were super friendly. They have a feeding station and for 25 scents you could get a handful of grain to feed them.
DINING:
After we checked into our hotel around 4:00 pm, we decided to take a walk through town to the Appalachian Brewing Company which was about .4 miles (about a 9 minute walk) from our The Wilbur. The streets were safe and it was fun to see all the porches decorated with fall decor. There were so many that I wanted to take pictures of but wanted to respect peoples privacy. The building is known as Lititz Junction, a former paper-box factory that was also home to Clair Brothers, one of the most respected sound, light, and staging companies in the world. Some of the biggest names in rock and roll have rehearsed in this beautiful brick and heavy timber structure. We ordered beer and wine, handmade tater tots, burger, fish and chips, and shared an elephant ear for dessert. The entire meal was delicious!
These handmade tater tots were amazing!
HANDMADE TATER TOTS
Instant ABC classic! Shredded taters mixed with bacon, cheddar jack cheese and fresh scallions, served with ranch sauce for dipping – $9.00
Instant ABC classic! Shredded taters mixed with bacon, cheddar jack cheese and fresh scallions, served with ranch sauce for dipping – $9.00
SITE SEEING:
Saturday was a day for walking the city enjoying the weather, hitting the shops, strolling the historical streets, and taking a tour of Lititz Historical Foundation, Jonathan Mueller Home, and Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery.
Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery
219 East Main Street
Lititz, PA 17543
717-626-4354
juliussturgis.com
Founded in 1861, Julius Sturgis was America’s first commercial pretzel bakery. Today, visitors can tour the original bakery, get a hands-on lesson in pretzel twisting, enjoy delicious hand-twisted soft pretzels, and shop for unique treats and souvenirs in the bakery store. Stop by to make your Lititz experience complete!
219 East Main Street
Lititz, PA 17543
717-626-4354
juliussturgis.com
Founded in 1861, Julius Sturgis was America’s first commercial pretzel bakery. Today, visitors can tour the original bakery, get a hands-on lesson in pretzel twisting, enjoy delicious hand-twisted soft pretzels, and shop for unique treats and souvenirs in the bakery store. Stop by to make your Lititz experience complete!
Lititz Historical Foundation & Museum
137-145 East Main Street
Lititz, PA 17543
717-627-4636
lititzhistoricalfoundation.com
137-145 East Main Street
Lititz, PA 17543
717-627-4636
lititzhistoricalfoundation.com
Johannes Mueller House
137 Main Street
Built about 1740
Rebuilt in 1794
(Original Klein House)
139 Main Street
Built 1792 by Johannes Mueller
Restored 1964 by Lititz Historical Foundation
Built about 1740
Rebuilt in 1794
(Original Klein House)
139 Main Street
Built 1792 by Johannes Mueller
Restored 1964 by Lititz Historical Foundation
The Lititz Historical Foundation includes the Lititz Museum and the Johannes Mueller House. Visitors to the museum will see and experience the rich history of Lititz. In the 1792 Mueller House, costumed guides will explain what life was like for an 18th century family. The garden behind the museum is also quite lovely.
Lititz Springs Park
24-28 North Broad Street
Lititz, PA 17543
717-626-8981
lititzspringspark.org
For over two-hundred years, The Lititz Springs Park has been a cornerstone of the town. It has been used by the community as a gathering place for festivities, events and shows, including the grand 4th of July Celebration that takes place each year. Settled right in the heart of town, Lititz Springs Park is a quiet, family-friendly place to relax, unwind and soak in the ambiance.
24-28 North Broad Street
Lititz, PA 17543
717-626-8981
lititzspringspark.org
For over two-hundred years, The Lititz Springs Park has been a cornerstone of the town. It has been used by the community as a gathering place for festivities, events and shows, including the grand 4th of July Celebration that takes place each year. Settled right in the heart of town, Lititz Springs Park is a quiet, family-friendly place to relax, unwind and soak in the ambiance.
Lititz Welcome Center/Train Station
24-28 North Broad Street
Lititz, PA 17543
717-626-8981
lititzspringspark.org
The Welcome Center is located in the reconstructed 1884 Lititz Passenger Depot and Express Station. Stop in and learn more about all there is to see and do in Lititz. And don’t forget to check out the nearby Lititz Caboose Museum!
24-28 North Broad Street
Lititz, PA 17543
717-626-8981
lititzspringspark.org
The Welcome Center is located in the reconstructed 1884 Lititz Passenger Depot and Express Station. Stop in and learn more about all there is to see and do in Lititz. And don’t forget to check out the nearby Lititz Caboose Museum!
AND MORE DINING
And let’s not forget the food! Every meal we had was delicious! You know I love a little bakery and coffee shop for breakfast and Rachel’s Cafe and Tomato Pie Cafe hit the spot! We decided to have one casual dinner and one fancy dinner and The Log Cabin did not disappoint. Yes, it was on the pricey side but sooo worth it from the ambiance to the service to the food. This is a must if you are visiting Lititz but make sure you get reservations as the entire cabin was booked solid.
This charming urban-style eatery has a simple but artful menu: serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as unforgettable desserts. The café boasts an artistic, eclectic flair featuring delicious culinary creations, rich coffee, bakery delicacies, laughter, and heartfelt conversations. Outdoor dining is available weather permitting. This cafe was so convenient as it was diagonal from our hotel. We took a short walk on a brisk Sunday morning where I had a delicious White Chocolate Mocha, rosemary potatoes, scrambled eggs and Mr. TAL had an egg, spinach, bacon breakfast sandwich on a pretzel bun!
Rachel’s Cafe and Creperie
608 Richmond Dr #109
Lancaster, PA 17601
We took a ride Saturday morning to the outskirts of Lancaster which was about 20 minutes from Lititz to try our first crepe ever! Rachel’s is an adorable cafe located in a small plaza located next to a new development of homes. Mr. TAL had a steak, egg, cheese crepe and I picked something off the seasonal fall menu. My crepe was a cinnamon infused crepe loaded with pumpkin cream cheese, maple syrup, and pecans with three small medallions of hash browns. But I have to say that although my crepe was good, I should have picked what Thomas ordered. I cannot say enough about my chocolate latte with loads of whip cream and caramel! Yummmmm!
Locations
Downtown Lancaster
201 W Walnut St
Lancaster, PA 17603
717-399-3515
Richmond Square
608 Richmond Dr Suite 109
Lancaster, PA 17601
717-399-3515
info@rachelscreperie.com
Downtown Lancaster
201 W Walnut St
Lancaster, PA 17603
717-399-3515
Richmond Square
608 Richmond Dr Suite 109
Lancaster, PA 17601
717-399-3515
info@rachelscreperie.com
The Log Cabin
Originally operated as a speakeasy during prohibition, the Log Cabin officially opened as a fine dining restaurant in 1933. Over the years, it has earned a reputation as one of Lancaster County’s top destinations, recently earning a 4.9 rating on OpenTable. Check out more about the history here https://logcabin1933.com/about-us/
We arrived early for our reservation and were seated in the main area. While we waited for our table, we enjoyed a two man band playing piano and base. The atmosphere was quaint and romantic sitting at a two seat high table top and enjoying our Moscato D’ Asti and Blind Pig martini. After only a short wait were were seated in a booth where we enjoyed a lovely meal of homemade chips and pretzels, lobster bisque, French onion soup, and coffee rubbed ribeye with French fries w/truffle salt.
11 Lehoy Forest Dr,
Leola, PA 17540
SHOPPING
It is best to get a map of the area as the shopping is split into what seems like two areas. All within walking distance of The Wilbur depending on how far you want walk. There are historic buildings made into boutiques, bakeries, and restaurants and I can’t forget to mention Gus & Ruby’s Pet Outfitters! Owned by Matt & Amy Tamulis, 37 E Main St., Lititz, they have the cutest pet clothes for all sizes and breeds! Not only are they dog friendly (I saw a large golden retriever enjoying his shopping experience) some of the other shops are dog friendly as well.
Across from The Wilbur is the famous Wilbur Chocolates, General Store, Waltz Winery, and The Savory Gourmet. We spent $54.97 on chocolates with the white chocolate praline caramels being the best!! I literally ate the whole box by myself (it was small :-)). We bought gourmet cheeses, a handmade wooden cheese knife, flavored vacuumed packed pasta, and two bottles of Moscato. As we watched the rain fall, we sat outside under the brick patio, drank our wine and people watched before we headed back to the room to get ready for dinner.
Waltz Vineyards
54 N. Broad St.
Lititz, PA. 17543
The Savory Gourmet
Exotic Meat, Fine Cheese, and Edible Treasures
53 N. Broad St.
Lititz, PA 17543
Wilbur Chocolate
45 N. Broad Street
Lititz, PA 17543
The Wilbur Bud owes its name to an unlikely source of inspiration: nature. In 1894, founder H.O. Wilbur developed a process that deposited specially blended aged chocolate into a solid shape that resembled a flower bud.
While a lot has changed since 1894, the Wilbur Bud is still a local favorite (and Lititz icon) made according to Mr. Wilbur’s original recipe. Available in both semisweet and milk chocolate varieties, the Bud remains the most beloved of all Wilbur Chocolate treats—and is still manufactured in the heart of Central Pennsylvania.
While a lot has changed since 1894, the Wilbur Bud is still a local favorite (and Lititz icon) made according to Mr. Wilbur’s original recipe. Available in both semisweet and milk chocolate varieties, the Bud remains the most beloved of all Wilbur Chocolate treats—and is still manufactured in the heart of Central Pennsylvania.
If you ever get a chance to travel to Pennsylvania and are near Lancaster or surrounding areas, make some time to check out Lititz! You won’t be disappointed. These pictures were taken throughout our trip at all hours of the morning, day, and night. We used both a professional and iPhone camera. They show the type of weather we were having and I hope depict the true feeling of the town. If you love history, then this is your place with it’s historical small town flair.
I love hearing from all of you and do my best to respond to each and every one of you. I always enjoy your comments, feedback, and suggestions so keep them coming! If I’ve posted a recipe (for our human and our furry friends) and you try it, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @twoadorablelabs and use #twoadorablelabs.
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Glad you had a nice time. Looks like a neat little town ????
Thank you! It was a great place to visit. It’s definitely on our list for next year and we plan to take Jake and Maggie! They will love it.